Is Fast Food the new Tobacco?

    Is fast food the new tobacco? Honestly, the tobacco industry was very big back in the day with a lot of loopholes. People were able to smoke legitimately, anywhere, anytime, in places that we don’t even find imaginable now, such as classrooms, airplanes, bathrooms, you name it, and people were smoking. But it wasn’t until 20-25 years ago that the government decided to do something about the health issues related to tobacco and its effects, and they decided to restrict smoking in certain areas. So, if you think about it, comparing tobacco to fast food means that it’s a problem that in the foreseeable future can become uncontrollable, and might need the government to step in and put some reinforcements down. But if it were up to me, I would consider fast food a personal problem because no matter what guidelines are set in place, what rules, all the facts, nutrition, everything laid on the table, people will still find their way to do something that they really want to do. The same thing with tobacco: it might be behind the counters and not easily accessible to everybody, but people still do smoke cigarettes, despite the effects of tobacco. Not saying that fast food can give you yellow teeth, black gums, shaky hands, but it can affect your health, causing you to be overweight, obese, have high cholesterol, diabetes, things that are detrimental to your everyday health. Critics like David Zinczenko argue that the fast-food industry is largely to blame, because it targets young people who don’t have better options and fails to provide clear nutritional information (Zinczenko, 2002). But whenever you’re not the one preparing your food, you’ll never truly understand the effort and skill involved in making it. It’s up to parents and guardians to establish boundaries and teach their children about moderation in food consumption. 

While it’s understandable that not all parents have the time or resources to cook three meals a day, finding a way to prepare meals or meal prep in advance can be highly beneficial. This approach not only saves money, time, and fosters the habit of eating at home, but it also reduces unnecessary spending on groceries. We often argue that if we knew the ingredients and preparation methods of fast food, it would change our perception of it. However, numerous food documentaries have been made, yet people continue to purchase food from these establishments. Therefore, this excuse is not valid. We cannot expect these chains to advertise nutritional information because that’s not what people are interested in; it’s called marketing skills. After all, fast food is a business. Former First Lady Michelle Obama emphasized in her speech to the NAACP that communities, schools, and even government programs must take action to provide children with healthier choices. She argued that personal willpower alone may not be sufficient to solve the problem. However, imposing restrictions on what people can consume only increases their desire for those items and punishes those who are able to control their eating habits. While she is correct that schools and grocery stores should limit unhealthy options, the key is to focus on quantity and quality. As Radley Balko points out, government regulation can only go so far, and ultimately, individuals make their own choices about what they eat (Balko, 2004). There are always healthy alternatives available to everyone, especially in today’s digital age where technology, AI, and other advancements provide us with all the information we need at our fingertips. Grocery stores, meal plans, meal preps, and more are just a few examples of the options available. So, is fast food the new tobacco? I’m not sure, but is it a personal or government problem? I think it’s a personal problem. After all, fast food is fast food because it’s prepared quickly, and the primary focus is not on nutritional facts. That’s precisely the essence of fast-food restaurants. It’s for convenience. They value speed and taste over nutrition. So, it’s up to you, the consumer, to know that too much of anything isn’t good.